Mesopotamia is where The Epic of Gilgamesh was written. Along with Egypt, Mesopotamia is believed to be one of the world’s first civilizations. Mesopotamia means “between rivers”. It is located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (modern day Iraq).
Some of the technological achievements of the Mesopotamians include:
• The plow
• The sail
• Clay bricks
• Potters wheel
• Metal-working (including metal armor and weaponry)
• Accounting
• Glass and lamp making
• Weaving
At the time, the king was the go-between for the gods and the people. The Sumerians were polytheistic, which means they believed in many gods. Their beliefs heavily impacted their lives, including their stories.
The Epic of Gilgamesh stands as the oldest piece of epic western literature. Gilgamesh is the semi-mythic King of Uruk. He was a demi-god who was said to have lived an exceptionally long life; the Sumerian King List records his reign as 126 years. They also said he had super-human strength.
Gilgamesh is widely accepted as the historical 5th king of Uruk whose influence was so profound that myths grew up around him, culminating in the tales found in The Epic of Gilgamesh. In this tale, he sets out on a quest to find the meaning of life. In doing so, he becomes the first epic hero in world literature. Although he ultimately fails to win immortality in the story his deeds live on through the written word and, so, does he.
Adapted from the following sources:
Grandfield, Kristen. "Teaching the Epic of Gilgamesh." Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. Yale, n.d. Web. 01 June 2015.
Mark, Joshua J. "Gilgamesh." Ancient History Encyclopedia. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited, 13 Oct. 2010. Web. 01 June 2015.
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